top of page
  • Black Facebook Icon
  • Black Twitter Icon
  • Black Instagram Icon
About-Us-Banner_edited.jpg

who we are

Calling Evangelicals to greater visible unity in gospel witness.

 

 

The Evangelical Fellowship of Canada (l’Alliance évangélique du Canada) is the national association of evangelical Christians in Canada. Since 1964 the EFC has provided a national forum for Evangelicals, fostered ministry partnerships, conducted research on religious and social trends and provided a constructive voice for biblical principles in life and society.

 

EFC affiliates include denominations, ministry organizations, post-secondary educational institutions and individual congregations, who uphold a common statement of faith and organizational “objects” (goals) and who often join in collaborative projects. The EFC also has thousands of supporting individuals.

 

Here are some quick intro materials:

The Evangelical Fellowship of Canada is governed by an independent board of directors who set organizational direction. 

What we Do

yslla_edited_edited.png

Five areas of focus energize all that we do.

Church and Mission

We work together with a broad base of denominations, churches, and ministry organizations in Canada to do joint research, to strategize how better to share the Good News of Jesus Christ, to partner together in mission, and to seek the common good of people in our neighbourhoods, across Canada, and around the world. The EFC also represents an evangelical voice in various interreligious contexts and dialogues. Finally, we seek to encourage, inspire and equip Christians in Canada through publications and resources.

Care for the Vulnerable

God calls us to care for those who are vulnerable. In this regard, the EFC partners with other like-minded churches, denominations and organizations that are engaged in caring for those experiencing poverty and homelessness, for immigrants and refugees, for those being trafficked in the sex trade, and for persecuted religious minorities around the world. Moreover, we speak to public policy issues and parliamentary committees when issues on vulnerable peoples come up.

Sanctity of Life

We understand that all humans are created in God’s image in order to enjoy special fellowship with God throughout their entire life. From conception to natural death, we seek to defend human life and to advocate for those whose lives are threatened. We speak to matters of abortion, euthanasia and assisted suicide, commercial surrogacy, and positively we seek to support initiatives on pregnancy care, palliative care, and rights of terminally ill people. 

Family & Community

We recognize that God has instituted marriage and family as God’s basic building block of human society. We are convinced healthy marriages and families contribute to wellness in community life, something valued not only by the church but broadly by Canadians. Here the EFC has long stood for the biblical definition of marriage as the lifelong union between one man and one woman, and we’ve sought to bring biblical principles on matters of sexuality and the right of families to instruct and raise their children accordingly. Moreover, we advocate for practices of adoption and fostering to support children without forever homes.

Religious Freedom

The EFC has long been a voice and advocate for matters of religious freedom. We believe living out our religious beliefs includes the freedom to gather together to worship God, to do good works and to pass on our faith to others. Religious freedom means the ability not only to hold religious beliefs but to live them out without fear of legal reprisal or discrimination. The EFC has a long record of public engagement both in our parliamentary and judicial systems. We meet with officials on matters of public policy we believe infringe on religious freedom, and when necessary intervene on critical cases being heard in the courts. In this regard, the EFC has intervened before provincial and federal courts more than 60 times, including more than 30 interventions before the Supreme Court of Canada.

statement of faith

The EFC's Statement of Faith reflects the commonly held beliefs of evangelical Christians throughout the world and is shared by all its affiliates.

[Le français suit. Traduction légèrement révisée en août 2019.]

Affiliates of The Evangelical Fellowship of Canada agree on the following statements:
  • The Holy Scriptures, as originally given by God, are divinely inspired, infallible, entirely trustworthy, and constitute the only supreme authority in all matters of faith and conduct.

  • There is one God, eternally existent in three persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

  • Our Lord Jesus Christ is God manifest in the flesh; we affirm his virgin birth, sinless humanity, divine miracles, vicarious and atoning death, bodily resurrection, ascension, ongoing mediatorial work, and personal return in power and glory.

  • The salvation of lost and sinful humanity is possible only through the merits of the shed blood of the Lord Jesus Christ, received by faith apart from works, and is characterized by regeneration by the Holy Spirit.

  • The Holy Spirit enables believers to live a holy life, to witness and work for the Lord Jesus Christ.

  • The Church, the body of Christ, consists of all true believers.

  • Ultimately God will judge the living and the dead, those who are saved unto the resurrection of life, those who are lost unto the resurrection of damnation.

Les adhérents de l’Alliance évangélique du Canada s’entendent sur les déclarations suivantes :
  • Les Saintes Écritures, telles que données par Dieu à leur origine, sont divinement inspirées, infaillibles, entièrement dignes de confiance et constituent la seule autorité suprême en matière de foi et de conduite.

  • Il n’y a qu’un seul Dieu existant éternellement en trois personnes : le Père, le Fils et le Saint-Esprit.

  • Notre Seigneur Jésus-Christ est Dieu manifesté dans la chair; nous affirmons sa naissance virginale, son humanité exempte de péché, ses miracles divins, sa mort substitutive et expiatoire, sa résurrection corporelle, son ascension, son œuvre continuelle de médiation et son retour personnel dans la puissance et la gloire.

  • Le salut d’une humanité perdue et pécheresse est possible seulement à travers les mérites du sang versé du Seigneur Jésus-Christ, reçus par la foi sans les œuvres et caractérisé par la régénération du Saint-Esprit.

  • Le Saint-Esprit rend les croyants capables de vivre dans la sainteté, de témoigner et de travailler pour le Seigneur Jésus-Christ.

  • L’Église, corps de Christ, est constituée de tous les vrais croyants.

  • Ultimement, Dieu jugera les vivants et les morts, ceux qui sont sauvés ressusciteront pour obtenir la vie, mais ceux qui sont perdus ressusciteront pour subir la damnation.

Objects of the corporation

[Le français suit.]

The Evangelical Fellowship of Canada / l’Alliance évangélique du Canada was federally incorporated under the Canada Corporations Act on January 23, 1995 (although our history dates back to 1964). As a federally incorporated charity, the objects of the EFC are:


First: To encourage, co-ordinate and facilitate the advancement, teaching, demonstration and implementation of the gospel of Jesus Christ and related truths of the Holy Bible in Canada and abroad through the gathering, uniting, equipping, assisting and empowering of evangelical Christians, denominations, parachurch organizations, and congregations which adhere to the Statement of Faith (referred to collectively hereafter as “Evangelicals”);

And second: ​Provided that these objects shall include only those which are exclusively charitable at law, and to accomplish the aforesaid objects:

  1. to uphold and promote the Statement of Faith;

  2. to provide a forum for Evangelicals to fellowship, communicate and seek growth, renewal and revitalization in their Christian faith;

  3. to facilitate, co-ordinate and conduct programs, ministries, meetings, studies and conferences to encourage prayer, worship, discipleship, evangelism and the advancement of the Christian faith;

  4. to facilitate, encourage, develop, and equip leadership within the Evangelical community;

  5. to foster, facilitate and co-ordinate an understanding among Evangelicals concerning the place and the role of Christians and the expression of their faith within a pluralistic society;

  6. to study, facilitate and promote the application of an evangelical understanding of biblical principles to matters of life and society;

  7. to facilitate, foster and co-ordinate research, study and dialogue among Evangelicals concerning the relevancy of the Christian faith to matters of social responsibility;

  8. to facilitate, communicate and present an understanding by Evangelicals on matters of social relevancy from a biblical perspective to government, government related bodies, the courts, and public authorities;

  9. to encourage, promote and facilitate worldwide evangelism of the Christian faith and to develop a respect for religious liberty for all faith communities internationally;

  10. to establish, operate and maintain Christian retreat centres and/or conference centres to further the objects herein;

  11. to establish, own, and operate one or more publishing offices, printing plants, distribution centres, or retail facilities for the publication, printing, distribution and sale of all types of literature and publications directly related to the charitable objectives herein;

  12. to produce programs and materials directly related to the charitable objects herein for presentation, broadcast and distribution on any means of audio, visual, computer, electronic or other forms of communication as may become available from time to time;

  13. to receive and maintain a fund or funds for the objects herein and to apply from time to time all or part of the income and/or capital thereof for the objects herein and for the benefit of charitable organizations that are registered pursuant to the Income Tax Act (Canada) that have charitable objects similar to those herein;

  14. to associate and affiliate with any association or organization, incorporated or unincorporated, with charitable objects similar to those herein;

  15. to give property and funds of the corporation to “qualified donees” as defined under the Income Tax Act (Canada), as amended from time to time, to further the objects of the corporation herein;

  16. to carry on “related businesses” within the meaning of the Income Tax Act (Canada) as amended from time to time in furtherance of the purposes stated herein.

L’Alliance évangélique du Canada / The Evangelical Fellowship of Canada été constituée en personne morale fédérale en vertu de la Loi sur les sociétés canadiennes le 23 janvier 1995 (bien que notre histoire remonte à 1964). En tant qu’organisme caritatif constitué en personne morale fédérale, l’AÉC a pour objets :


Premièrement : Encourager, coordonner et faciliter la promotion, l’enseignement, la mise en pratique et l’application de l’Évangile de Jésus-Christ et des vérités connexes de la Sainte Bible au Canada et à l’étranger, en rassemblant, unissant, équipant, aidant et responsabilisant les chrétiens évangéliques, les confessions, les organisations para-ecclésiastiques et les congrégations qui adhèrent à la Déclaration de foi (ci-après dénommés collectivement les « évangéliques ») ;

Et deuxièmement : à condition que ces objectifs ne comprennent que ceux qui sont exclusivement caritatifs au sens de la loi, et afin d’atteindre les objectifs susmentionnés :

  1. de défendre et de promouvoir la Déclaration de foi ;

  2. d’offrir aux évangéliques un forum leur permettant de fraterniser, de communiquer et de rechercher la croissance, le renouveau et la revitalisation de leur foi chrétienne ;

  3. faciliter, coordonner et mener des programmes, des ministères, des réunions, des études et des conférences visant à encourager la prière, le culte, la formation de disciples, l’évangélisation et l’avancement de la foi chrétienne ;

  4. faciliter, encourager, développer et former des responsables au sein de la communauté évangélique ;

  5. favoriser, faciliter et coordonner la compréhension, au sein de la communauté évangélique, de la place et du rôle des chrétiens ainsi que de l’expression de leur foi au sein d’une société pluraliste ;

  6. étudier, faciliter et promouvoir l’application d’une interprétation évangélique des principes bibliques aux questions de la vie et de la société ;

  7. faciliter, favoriser et coordonner la recherche, l’étude et le dialogue au sein de la communauté évangélique concernant la pertinence de la foi chrétienne face aux questions de responsabilité sociale ;

  8. faciliter, communiquer et présenter aux pouvoirs publics, aux organismes liés à l’État, aux tribunaux et aux autorités publiques la vision des évangéliques sur les questions d’intérêt social d’un point de vue biblique ;

  9. encourager, promouvoir et faciliter l’évangélisation de la foi chrétienne à l’échelle mondiale et développer le respect de la liberté religieuse pour toutes les communautés confessionnelles à l’échelle internationale ;

  10. créer, exploiter et entretenir des centres de retraite chrétiens et/ou des centres de conférence afin de poursuivre les objectifs énoncés dans les présents statuts ;

  11. créer, détenir et exploiter une ou plusieurs maisons d’édition, imprimeries, centres de distribution ou points de vente au détail pour la publication, l’impression, la distribution et la vente de tous types d’ouvrages et de publications directement liés aux objectifs caritatifs énoncés dans les présents statuts ;

  12. produire des programmes et des supports directement liés aux objets caritatifs visés par les présentes, en vue de leur présentation, diffusion et distribution par tout moyen de communication audio, visuel, informatique, électronique ou autre qui pourrait devenir disponible de temps à autre ;

  13. de recevoir et de gérer un ou plusieurs fonds destinés aux objets des présents statuts et d’affecter, de temps à autre, tout ou partie des revenus et/ou du capital de ces fonds aux objets des présents statuts et au profit d’organismes de bienfaisance enregistrés en vertu de la Loi de l’impôt sur le revenu (Canada) dont les objets de bienfaisance sont similaires à ceux des présents statuts ;

  14. de s’associer et de s’affilier à toute association ou organisation, constituée en société ou non, dont les objets de bienfaisance sont similaires à ceux des présents statuts ;

  15. de céder des biens et des fonds de la société à des « donataires admissibles », tels que définis par la Loi de l’impôt sur le revenu (Canada), telle que modifiée de temps à autre, afin de promouvoir les objets de la société énoncés dans les présents statuts ;

  16. d’exercer des « activités connexes » au sens de la Loi de l’impôt sur le revenu (Canada), telle que modifiée de temps à autre, dans le but de promouvoir les objets énoncés dans les présents statuts.

Image by Oli Dale
bottom of page